Silica aerogel powder is a man-made material comprising particles of silicon dioxide in a porous network. Aerogel powder is made from an aerogel solid. An aerogel solid is created by replacing the liquid of a gel-type solution with a gas, usually air. Aerogel has very low bulk density, is hydrophobic, and also has good thermal insulation properties. The thermal insulation and hydrophobic properties make aerogel-based products advantageous in uses such as outdoor harsh-weather apparel, as well as commercial and/or residential insulation.
However, to date use of aerogel-based products has been largely in bulk form (i.e., blocks or sheets of aerogel). The hydrophobic nature of aerogel means that aerogel does not disperse well in water-based solutions, and thus the hydrophobic nature limits potential uses. Further, aerogels do not adequately mix into polymer systems without significant use of surfactants. Moreover, aerogels have sensitivity to many solvents such that attempts to mix aerogel with particular solvents leads to destruction of the aerogel structure. The sensitivity to solvents further limits the uses of aerogel.
Thus, any advance which increased the solutions into which aerogel can be dispersed and/or mixed would provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace.